Director Brett Carr has taken this Tacoma Little Theatre production of The Buddy Holly Story to a high level by using the theater’s revolving stage as a transition device. The show flows from one scene to the next. The stage becomes a recording studio or Holly’s house with a flick of a few switches and a few seconds of on-stage rotating of the sets.

Since Holly anchors the show, it only seems fitting that he should anchor the playbill. And he does. Ryan Coleman rocks it as Holly and brings the legendary musician to life with nuanced tones and power chords. There were times when it seemed that he was channeling the spirit of the man with the nerdy glasses.



[Tacoma Little Theatre, through June 28, 8 p.m. Friday-Saturday, 2 p.m. Sunday, $18-$22, 210 N. I St., Tacoma, 253.272.2281]